


Won't sleep till you're safe inside

by Crimsun



Series: The Johntenhyuck Family Chronicles [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Donghyuck is Johnny's stepbrother but Johnten loves him so much, M/M, Making Out, slight mentions of homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 03:03:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14803140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimsun/pseuds/Crimsun
Summary: Ten's out collecting himself after the events during the day, Johnny is worried and Donghyuck loves both of them too much to not care.





	Won't sleep till you're safe inside

**Author's Note:**

> Hello world,
> 
> It's Johnny's POV this time. I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> English is not my mother tongue. Proceed at your own risk. 
> 
> Dedicated to my favorite sunflower in a field of millions.
> 
> Title from Safe Inside by James Arthur

“Hyung?”

Johnny shifts and squints in the direction of the voice, the blue light from the TV and the dim lamp on the side table the only accomplices of light in the room. His eyes adjust to the murky, faded darkness and he pats the couch, muffled thumps sounding loud in the emptiness ringing in the room. 

Donghyuck trots to him slowly, wincing when he hits his knee on the corner of the coffee table. Johnny straightens up when Donghyuck finally sits down next to him, covered in a much too familiar blanket. 

“Did he call yet?” Donghyuck asks, plastering himself on Johnny’s side, his head on his chest. Johnny puts an arm around him and pulls him closer. 

“No... his phone’s still switched off,” Johnny says, hating the fact that his voice breaks a little. Donghyuck tries to pull away and look at him but Johnny doesn’t let him, calming him down by stroking his hair. 

“Are you okay, hyung?” Donghyuck’s sounds tired and Johnny almost wants to break and tell him that he’s really worried but he doesn’t because his little brother has an exam tomorrow and Ten would hate him(not really) if he made him worry any more than he already is. 

Johnny nods and finally loosens his grip on him after gently pressing a kiss on his messy hair. Donghyuck doesn’t pull away, staying incredibly still, just the sounds of their breathing and the intermittent honking from the vehicles on the nearly deserted street outside resounding in the otherwise silent room. 

“I’m sleepy,” Donghyuck whispers, the back of his fist rubbing his eyes.

“Go to sleep, Hyuck,” Johnny whispers back, hoping he sounds certain enough. 

“I want to wait up for him too,” Donghyuck says, voice bordering on a whine and Johnny would find it cute any other moment, but right now it just sounds... sad. 

“He would want you to attend your exams properly rested, you know?” Johnny says, trying to put his best convincing voice on. 

Donghyuck tenses against his chest in disappointment and Johnny almost takes it back but chooses not to, deciding to push through. 

“If he doesn’t come back before two, I’m gonna go get him,” Johnny adds, eyes drawn to his car’s keys which he has been eyeing since Ten texted him hours ago. 

“Why don’t you just go get him now? It’s late and it’s so cold, hyung,” Donghyuck complains, pulling away, staring at Johnny with a little anger. 

Johnny reaches out and pets his hair gently, feeling Donghyuck deflate visibly.

“He does this for a reason, Hyuck. Sometimes, he just... he has bad days and he needs space, okay?” Johnny calmly explains even if all he wants to do is sprint to that twenty-four-hour diner Ten loves or the Han river, both Ten’s safe places, to check on him and see if he’s holding up okay but he can’t tell Donghyuck that. 

“Why can’t he have space here? We could go out and let him be here. It’s so late and he’s alone, hyung,” Donghyuck continues, desperate and concerned. 

“He likes being outside when he’s down. Just, anywhere but home works for him. It’s always been like that. You know that,” Johnny points out, trying hard to keep himself in check, but all he wants is to give in and just break down because it’s one in the middle of the night, Ten’s phone is switched off after the message he sent and he’s in a great amount of distress.

“I do but it’s so worrying, hyung.” Donghyuck lets out a defeated sigh. 

“Just go sleep, okay? I promise I’ll go look for him if he doesn’t get back or call me by then,” Johnny says, gaze fixed on the way Donghyuck’s eyes are swollen and red. 

“Pinky promise?” Donghyuck looks so much like a kid, extending his pinky finger for Johnny and it reminds him of when he first saw him, a small eight-year-old boy with round cheeks, sitting with his toys on the floor when thirteen-year-old Johnny opened the door to his house, a hand stretched out for him in invitation. 

“Pinky promise, you big baby,” Johnny says, ruffling his hair just because he can. 

Donghyuck whines loudly and tries to fix his hair but gives up and smiles widely, getting up and walking away with a mumbled _goodnight_. 

He pauses on the way to his room and turns back around. “Hyung, you know that he loves you and he’ll always come back to you, right? That no matter what happens he’ll always _always_ let you know?” 

Donghyuck’s voice is soft and he speaks gently but he rarely says things with so much conviction and seriousness and Johnny knows that his brother knows what he’s thinking. He’s overcome with a deluge of emotion but he takes a deep breath and nods, humming in response but Donghyuck doesn’t walk away, not just yet. 

“I do. I know. I know, Hyuck,” he says, knowing full well that Donghyuck is waiting for him to vocalize his thoughts. 

How many people can say that they have two of the best people on the planet in their life? Well, Johnny can, with every atom dictating his existence, with everything he has. 

Donghyuck smiles, fond, and it hits him then that his little brother is not so little anymore. He knows the world now, not everything but he knows just enough to understand people and Johnny’s so proud because he and Ten have a hand in it too. 

Donghyuck turns away and walks to his room, the length of the white blanket dragging on the floor. Johnny lets himself bask in the lonely night air and takes the remote to switch off the TV. He eyes the clock on the side table and lies back down on the couch, the cushion shifting in place to accommodate his body. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply, worry causing his heart to feel like a wilted flower, completely aware that sleep wouldn’t come so fast, not without Ten by his side. 

It’s a little later when Johnny hears the tell-tale sound of the lock click and he sits up suddenly, head protesting against the sudden movement, hand grabbing his phone to see if Ten called before coming. He puts it back down seeing the lack of notifications. Johnny contemplates switching the lights on but that would mean making Ten antsy and that’s the last thing he wants to do.

The door shuts softly and he hears the sound of footsteps, ones that’s been engraved so deeply into his heart that he could probably map it all out even in his sleep and suddenly, it’s like the first time Ten did this, staying away from Johnny and everything that is close to him, that is. Their relationship wasn’t this strong or grounded then. They were only off to a shaky start with Johnny coming to terms with his sexuality and Ten finding his place in a new country. But even then, Johnny clearly recalls how Ten had sighed in content after coming back to their shared dorm that day, eyes rimmed red and lips wobbling, collapsing into Johnny’s chest. 

The night had ended with a little make-out session and a couple of mindless confessions about each other. It had been a crucial point in their relationship, one that has lasted through the past five years without any breaks, just a system running without any hitches, fuelled only by the amount of love and trust they have for each other.

He feels much too emotional, tears pricking behind his eyelids and he tries with all his might to blink them back because Ten’s finally home and he can rest easy now but it’s hard.

“Johnny?” Ten calls out and Johnny stretches to switch the lamp on, said instrument coming to life and casting a warm but gentle glow over the room. The golden light bathes Ten in it but his eyes are swollen and worryingly pink, lips too red from biting it and posture withdrawn. 

Johnny doesn’t need to use his head to know that something’s definitely wrong and the realization makes him want to find whoever it is that hurt Ten and beat the living hell out of them even though he’s a firm pacifist at heart. World peace and ethics didn’t matter when Ten was in the equation. 

“Baby,” Johnny whispers, smiling at Ten reassuringly and the shorter man’s expression crumbles. He drops his backpack on the floor and walks to Johnny, collapsing against him, resting all his weight on him not that Johnny minds. Ever. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m here,” Johnny mumbles against Ten’s hair. Ten hides his face in the exact place where his neck meets his shoulder and sighs. Johnny feels the waterworks against his skin but he simply lies back on the couch and uses his strength to pull Ten entirely on top of him.

“You don’t have to talk but I’m here and I love you, Ten. Nothing else matters, okay? Not what someone else said or did because those people, they don’t know you but I do and I love you.” 

Ten chokes on his breath and Johnny tries to get up but Ten whines deep from his chest and clutches Johnny’s t-shirt with a death grip. 

“I love you,” Ten breathes, his soft lips moving against Johnny’s neck and he nods, trying to convey without words that he already knows, that he doesn’t need Ten to repeat it back to him to know how much he does. 

“Can you... can you say something?” Ten asks, hesitation drowning his voice out.

Johnny knows what’s happening. He’s no stranger to what Ten is asking him to do. He knows that this is how he can help. Ten likes lying on his chest and listening to the vibrations of his voice, he likes knowing the exact way his heart beats. Johnny enjoys this too, knowing that he is capable of providing such an intimate level of comfort to his boyfriend. They haven’t done this in a while though, both of them busy with work, Ten with his academy’s upcoming showcase and Johnny with all the travelling he had to do in light of his promotion, barely finding time to kiss each other, much less cuddle for hours.

Regardless, they’ve tried their best to find time for each other, no matter how hard it is. It’s not that they’ve been completely distant or anything but Johnny just feels like he is to blame and he knows Ten well enough to know that he feels the same way. 

Johnny smiles and angles his face to press a kiss on Ten’s hair, one hand sneaking under the other’s plain t-shirt to rest on the small of his back. Ten inhales sharply and mumbles, “It’s cold.” 

Johnny smiles again, this time wider and starts talking about his day at work, keeping his voice level so that Ten is comfortable. Ten lifts his head after a good fifteen minutes or so and crawls up a little, his hands cupping Johnny’s cheeks and there are tears on his face, some clinging to his long, pretty eyelashes. 

He’s so beautiful and he’s all Johnny’s. It’s not quite a realization, it’s more like a reminder but it stuns him how Ten has stayed with him for so long, loving him and supporting him like no one else ever has. 

Ten leans in and kisses him, slow, dragging it out in that way he loves to. Johnny runs his hands over the delicate ridges of his spine and kisses him back just as languid as he initiated it. He doesn’t even have to prod at Ten’s lips for entrance, his boyfriend opening up for him without any hesitation. Johnny licks into his mouth with a low fiery passion and Ten sighs into his mouth, the small content noise making Johnny want to close his eyes and just drown in Ten. 

Usually, Ten is an active participant but days like this, when he is way over in his head and just wants someone to lead, Johnny makes sure that he’s right there to pick up the slack. He knows Ten will talk but even if he doesn’t want to, Johnny will be right here because he loves him too damn much to ever keep something like this get between them. Ten tastes like sweet coffee and comfort and Johnny tilts his head to kiss him deeper, the smaller man gasping softly when Johnny sucks on his tongue.

Johnny pulls away and kisses down his jaw, to the beautiful column of his throat, straightening up a little so that Ten’s straddling him and he’s free to move. He presses his lips against his neck and inhales the unique mixture of citrus and sandalwood which never fails to make him want to ruin Ten with his wandering hands and mouth. 

Johnny sucks a hickey into Ten’s skin and Ten throws his head back, hand clutching at Johnny’s shirt tightly. Johnny knows Ten’s body like the back of his hand and when he still feels Ten’s tense muscles, despite the little noises he makes to encourage him and his responsiveness, Johnny knows that it’s not that simple today. He reconnects their lips and pulls back to drop a kiss on his forehead before hugging him close. 

“Johnny?” Ten calls out, sounding lost, face pressed against his warm chest. 

“You’re still tense,” Johnny explains, knowing the question behind the seemingly simple call of his name. 

“But I want to. We haven’t had sex in two weeks,” Ten says and the blatant way in which he says it should make Johnny laugh but it’s said like Ten is in actual physical pain. 

“Babe, it’s okay. We’ve been busy.” Johnny lets his fingers rub the tense muscles of Ten’s back, feeling the smaller man sigh and relax against him. 

“I’m sorry,” Ten says against his chest, long after Johnny has stopped moving his hands. It’s not hard to figure out what he’s sorry for. 

“You sent a text. I was worried but you let me know that you needed space and that’s all I’ve ever asked for,” Johnny says, one hand smoothing the thick strands of his boyfriend’s obsidian hair. 

“I know but that doesn’t take this feeling away, Johnny. I hate worrying you,” Ten confesses and Johnny has known this for a while but hearing it directly from Ten just makes a whole new impact. 

“But, that’s okay. I would always want you to put yourself first, Ten, I promise it’s okay,” Ten leans up and presses a kiss on the underside of his jaw and Johnny smiles in content, a radiant warmth enveloping him. 

“One of my students withdrew their application today.” Ten tenses up again as he says it and Johnny closes his eyes, humming in response, not interrupting the other just yet. “His parents told him that it was either this or they’d stop paying for the part of his tuition that his scholarship doesn’t cover.” 

Ten sighs sadly and Johnny shifts a little, a small action meant to be taken as a _go on_. 

“He’s gay,” Ten says and everything just falls into place. Ten has a strong personality and he’s not someone who just stands there and be a pushover but with sensitive matters like this, as someone who hasn’t had his family’s support in his life after coming out, his boyfriend tended to freeze up and let time run its course. 

“His family isn’t supportive, then?” Johnny asks, when the conversation stops completely, the stuffy emptiness making him uncomfortable. 

“Yeah. His mother told him that it was either dance or going back to being straight,” Ten grits, “as if being gay is a choice, as if her ultimatum would make him like girls when he never did. She said some things to me too. I couldn’t really control my words either. But I had to tell her that she was wrong and I’m glad I did. People are so stupid.” 

Johnny exhales heavily because no words would help in situations like this, when people continue to be miserably ignorant, rejecting love even if they preach a completely different story. 

“They are, aren’t they?” Johnny asks, but it’s not really a question. Ten rubs his cheek against the soft fabric of Johnny’s shirt and drags a finger over his collarbone. 

“Where’s Donghyuck?” Ten inquires, and it’s a diversion, a conspicuous one and Johnny catches on quite fast. 

“He wanted to wait up for you, whined a lot too but he went back to sleep after I told him you’ll be disappointed,” Johnny replies, feeling Ten hum softly and shift closer than he already is, almost as if he wants to make a space for himself inside Johnny. 

“Any closer and I’ll need to break my rib to fit you,” Johnny breathes, a ghost of a smile plastered to his words. 

Ten giggles against his neck, the sound a little wet and breathier than normal but there’s emotion clogging up the smaller man’s chest and Johnny always understands. 

“But I already have a home in you, Johnny,” Ten says after a moment stretched far too long for him to handle. Ten’s voice is like glass, all delicate and smooth, perhaps that’s why it’s Johnny’s most favourite sound in the world. 

“And I’ll always be here for you,” he promises like he always does. 

Ten nods quickly and presses another kiss to his neck. Johnny is getting much too wound up from all these little intimate touches and he feels this raw urge to just look at Ten because all he has seen the past few minutes is the glossy tuft of hair atop his head and as much as he loves every part of him he wants to see his face, wants to see the way emotions flit over his ethereal features in the blink of an eye. Johnny places a firm hand on the small of his boyfriend’s back and flips them over, Ten staring at him with glassy eyes, a gasp escaping him in surprise.

Johnny places his palms flat on either side of the petite man and lets his gaze rake over the polished curves of Ten’s face.

“You’re so beautiful, God,” Johnny breathes and Ten smirks, quirking an eyebrow.

“I knew I was pretty but I didn’t know I was God,” Ten retorts, the strain of mischief which seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face returning in the dim glow the lamp cast on him. Johnny sighs internally in relief.

It never seizes to amaze him how they could go from ground bottom to soaring in the sky in the span of seconds. He is not selfish to take the credit for himself because he knows that it’s just Ten who is responsible for it, ever the unsolved enigma, a graceful Rubiks cube, meant only for Johnny to twist and turn. 

Johnny laughs and leans down carefully, making sure he doesn’t rest all his weight on Ten and noses along the fragile structure of his throat, peppering kisses as he goes. Ten’s hand comes up to play with his long hair and Johnny loses focus, kisses turning sloppy as he licks the enticing edge of his boyfriend’s jaw. Ten’s breathing keeps speeding up and slowing, chest moving in tandem and Johnny loves how he knows exactly what he’s making him feel. 

“Just kiss me, dork,” Ten says and Johnny smiles as he drags his lips from his neck to his soft, bitten lips. 

Ten’s mouth curves up in a smile at the press of his lips against them and Johnny licks at them slowly, Ten shuddering a little at the sensation. 

“It stings, doesn’t it?” Johnny asks, their lips touching. 

Ten nods. 

“I always tell you to stop biting your lips, don’t I?” Johnny asks and presses one last kiss to his lips before pulling away, ready to get up. 

Ten whines in response and makes grabby hands at him. Johnny engages him but ducks his face into the crook of his neck and kisses it again.

“It’s okay. Just.. come up here and kiss me, Jesus. Don’t make me beg.” 

Johnny huffs out a laugh. 

“You’re God and I’m Jesus, aren’t we quite the divine pair?” Ten glares at him in response and Johnny indulges his request by crawling back up and dipping his tongue into the wet warmth of Ten’s mouth, licking over the red skin of his lips before delving in and mapping his entire mouth, swallowing Ten’s rushed breaths and little moans with his own. 

Johnny pulls away after a few minutes and gets up on his feet, extending a hand to Ten to pull him up but Ten smiles dreamily at him and opens his arms for him. Johnny closes his eyes and bends down to give his boyfriend another hug. 

“Carry me?” Ten questions and Johnny smiles against his ear. 

“You want me for my muscles,” he complains, actions contradicting his words, hands already creeping under his toned thighs and fragile torso to pick Ten up bridal style. Ten loops his hands around his neck and presses a soft kiss on his exposed collarbone. 

“True,” Ten agrees with a soft smile. Johnny laughs. 

By the time Johnny goes to pick Ten’s sleep clothes, his boyfriend is fast asleep. Johnny dumps the clothes on the desk chair and tilts his head a little, intently gazing at the love of his life. He lifts Ten’s hand, strips the armband and presses a kiss to his wrist. 

“I was worried but I always know you’ll come back to me,” Johnny whispers as he lies down next to his boyfriend. 

It’s not a special night. This is nothing that hasn’t happened before. But it’s for the first time that Johnny finally feels brave enough to call up Jaehyun and go to the jewellery to get the one final thing that will make Ten completely his. They’ve always joked about getting married before. They’ve had serious conversations as well, both drunk and sober, both whispered in sleep and muttered under their breaths but tonight, Johnny is especially brave to finally realize that he needs to take that step. 

“I wanna marry you,” Johnny thinks, smiling at Ten, still as much in awe with his beauty as he was five years ago, leaning against a wall and staring at the petite boy who moved with the grace of a swan in the crowded corridor of his uni, his vision finding it impossible to stray away from focusing on that one person amongst a hundred. 

Ten makes a sound in the back of his throat and reaches with his hand, the corners of his lips curving up once it lands on Johnny. Johnny pulls him close and presses a smile to his forehead. 

It’s not the sound of the alarm that wakes him up but the sound of enthusiastic and loud chatter. He gets up, groggy from sleep, the other side of his bed empty. He hears Donghyuck’s high pitched laughter mixing with Ten’s sweet giggles and he smiles, even if his temple pounds with the headache of the century. 

When he ambles over to the kitchen after freshening up, Ten is smacking Donghyuck’s hands away as the younger boy tries to feed him apple slices. The fruit hater in Ten was probably revolting against Donghyuck’s existence. The thought makes him snort. 

“Mr Seo, eavesdropping isn’t nice,” Donghyuck says, wagging his finger in the air, his flamboyant personality shining brightly even in the early hours of the morning. 

“Yaah, come here, you brat,” Johnny tells him, wiggling his long fingers in front of him, promising some tickling, the one true thing Donghyuck dreads in his life.

Ten giggles loudly and continues making the omelettes. Donghyuck pokes his tongue out at Johnny and shoves two slices of apple in his small mouth, chewing with a vengeance. Johnny settles down at the kitchen table and closes his eyes, bending his neck to look at the ceiling, the headache spiking irregularly. He hears the sound of porcelain touching the glass table and feels thin fingers rubbing his scalp. He relaxes back against Ten’s toned stomach, his boyfriend’s body heat in addition to the massaging motions already making him feel loads better. 

Donghyuck places the plate in front of him and ravenously chews on the pancakes without a care for the pair in front of him. Johnny snorts at seeing his little brother. 

“Is this how you still eat in front of Mark, you neanderthal?” Ten asks, taking the words right out of his mouth.

“Naah, I usually just eat from his mouth,” Donghyuck answers, following up with a relaxed smirk and Johnny doesn’t have to look up to see the beautiful peach adorning Ten’s golden cheeks. 

“Geez, poor thing,” Ten says, gaining a glare from Donghyuck before he smiles and blows kisses at them.

Johnny huffs out a laugh.

“Let me just finish cooking, I’ll give you another massage, okay?” Ten bends down, speaking in a low volume, right against the shell of his air and Johnny watches Donghyuck’s gaze softening up at the scene from the corner of his eye. 

Johnny nods and Ten leaves to go behind the stove, a kiss pressed against his hair. 

“Is he okay?” Donghyuck asks, voice suddenly sombre and eyes wide. 

“He is. Don’t worry, Hyuck,” he says, eyes squeezed shut. 

Johnny gets up when Donghyuck finishes eating, the plate wiped clean. 

“It’s psych today. I hate psych. Wish me luck, hyung,” Donghyuck whines, latching onto Johnny’s arm, rubbing his cheek against it like a cat. Ten comes up from behind him and ruffles his hair. 

“You’ll do great, you brat,” Ten says and Donghyuck groans, grumbling about hair gel and comb. Johnny smiles, using his other hand to attempt to fix his brother’s hair. 

“You can do this,” Johnny says and Donghyuck gives him a quick hug, mumbling a _thank you_ before doing the same to Ten who waves his spatula when Donghyuck attempts to drop apple slices on the pancake. 

“He’s such a menace,” Ten sighs when the door slams shut, turning the knob on the stove to turn it off. 

“Slandering my brother the moment he leaves the house, huh?” Johnny questions with no actual heat. 

“Well, what can you do, Mr Seo?” Ten drawls, kittenish lips quirking up in delight, a finger drawing a curve from Johnny’s collarbone, gaze hooded and much too sultry for a morning. 

Johnny grabs his finger with one hand and leans down to kiss his forehead. 

“I can’t do anything because you love him just as much as I do,” Johnny says, one hand settling on his thin waist. 

“Proof or it didn’t happen,” Ten says defiantly. It’s Johnny’s turn to smirk this time. 

“He was wearing your favourite purple hoodie today,” Johnny points out, smiling wider at how Ten sputters for a response. 

“He likes it, okay?” Ten defends. 

Johnny ignores the ache in his head and kisses Ten, just a small peck on his lips, a gesture of gratitude for loving everything Johnny loves with the same dedication. A gesture to tell him that he’ll change nothing about what they have. Just a little something to tell him that he’ll love Ten a little more with every moment that passes by.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! Comments and kudos keep me warm in the cold!
> 
> Hit me up on my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/crimsun) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/_Crimsun_)


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